It was the wish of Ana Santos-Vitelo and her husband Mario Vitelo to introduce diners to the rich, savory and sizzling flavors of Brazil without breaking the bank.That wish came true as the Vitelos proudly presided over the June 29 grand opening celebration of their second culinary venture: Nossa! Brazilian Grill in Downers Grove.

Melissa Cookston likes to play with fire. “In a former life, I must have been a pyro because anything dealing with flames, I’m all in. Servers will say, ‘If you open that kitchen door wide enough, you’ll probably see her back there on that wood-fired grill because she loves charring things; she’s got those flames leaping up pretty high,’” she says.

With the July 12 debut of Ms. Yoo, the new establishment’s chef/partner Esther Choi takes a detour on her crusade to educate Americans about Korean food and culture from the authenticity that has ruled at her mokbar in Chelsea Market and mokbar Brooklyn to a playful hybridization of American bar favorites with Korean ingredients and techniques.

Pork belly, or Korean bacon, is beloved in the states, but it has yet to receive a temple devoted entirely to its worship. Enter Belly, a new restaurant in Williamsburg offering New York City’s first bacon omakase menu.

Hudson House, the first full-service restaurant by Hunter Pond, founder of East Hampton Sandwich Co, along with partners Kyle Brooks, Wes Freeman, Hank Keller and Justin Hollis, is now open daily for happy hour and dinner.

The Cordish Companies' Live! Casino 5th Anniversary Celebration culminates in a major announcement for the future of Live! as a partnership has been developed with world-famous celebrity chef Todd English to create a new dining destination for the flagship luxury Live! Hotel, set to open in early 2018.

Grove Bay Hospitality Group (GBHG), the Miami-based boutique restaurant firm behind some of the region’s hottest restaurants has announced their latest venture and the first of two restaurants in partnership with Top Chef Jeremy Ford.

Aside from service format, one big difference between traditional fast casuals and full-service concepts has always been the amount of time guests spend in the restaurant. Whereas full-service restaurants necessitate a significant period spent in the dining room, fast casuals are generally more concerned about throughput—getting customers in and out.

Terralina Crafted Italian, a new dining experience curated by James Beard Award-winning Chef Tony Mantuano, will open this fall at Disney Springs. The new restaurant, which will replace the space at The Landing previously occupied by Portobello Country Italian Trattoria, is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar makeover inspired by the design and lifestyle of Italy’s Lake District.

Ireland native and newly minted Houston restaurateur Ian Tucker has laid the groundwork for his next Bayou City concept in the form of Poitín, a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar slated to become the anchor tenant at Sawyer Yards at the corner of Edwards and Sawyer Streets.

Anthony Vipond and Chef Chad Crete’s new restaurant, Whiskey Bird, is now open in Atlanta’s Morningside neighborhood. Whiskey Bird’s name is two-fold inspired by the spirit whiskey and the traditional Japanese yakitori.

Spotlights in the rafters and a prominent but not overpowering stage off to the side quickly communicate that Venkman’s—despite a well-stocked bar and expanse of dining tables—is not your run-of-the-mill restaurant.

Executive Chef Nick Dostal and the culinary team at Sixteen, the Michelin two-star restaurant located inside Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, are pleased to introduce a new and memorable al fresco dining experience with the addition of its private rooftop Garden Table inspired by its garden ingredients.